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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · rule · mouse · game · temple · fall · trunk · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. fall — the season
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rule — government
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rule — a law
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — a match
  23. craft — boats
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com